The present invention relates to a printer on which a cartridge for printing having a recording element is mounted and used.
As well known, most of existing printers are devices on which cartridges (refer them to as cartridges for printing, hereinafter) filled with image forming materials (toner, ink) are mounted and used. Further, these printers are devices (see, for instance, JP-A-2003-84631 and JP-A-2003-154734) in which various kinds of information (residual quantity of image forming materials, number of printing sheets, etc.) related to the states of the cartridges for printing are recorded in recording elements (EEPROM or the like) provided in the cartridges for printing. In the above-described printers, there are printers having timer mechanisms (what is called a real time clock) that can output information showing a current date and functions for writing the outputs (that is, date information) of the timer mechanisms in the recording elements on the cartridges for printing when new cartridges for printing are mounted.
When printers to be produced (sold) have the above-described functions, the date information recorded in the recording elements of the cartridges for printing recovered from users is employed. Thus, the efficient production plan of the cartridges for printing can be formed and more excellent services can be provided to the users.